Fifth-wheel



(No Model.)

J. FINGK, Jr.

FIFTH WHEEL.

No. 364,234. Patented June '7, 1887* 171.76 nZar m, y.

Witnesses 17 his flttarney circle forms about two-thirds of a circle, at the .circle offers greater resistance to jolts than UNITED STATES JOHN FINOK, JR, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,234, dated June 7, 1887.

Application filed April 24, 1885. Serial No. 163,339. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN FINOK, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fifth- ;Vheels, of which the following is a specifica- My invention relates to that class of fifthwheels which are not directly connected to the vehicle by means of a king bolt, and are usually designated as carriage-circles.

The nature of my invention consists in the construct-ion of the circle in such form that, first, although no extra weight be added, the

one of ordinary construction, the jolts upon the king-bolt are moderated thereby, because the two parts of the circle receive the jolt jointly, not separately, and in case of a loss of the king bolt self -uncoupling is prevented, while at the same time the vehicle may be easily taken apart; second, a smaller surface than usual is presented for friction, and auto matic distribution of the lubricant and also the exclusion of dirt are accomplished; third, the sides of the carriage are not injured by the wheels on turning the vehicle; fourth, in the last-mentioned case severe jolts upon the circle itself are prevented. These results I obtain in this manner:

In the upper side of the bottom circle I construct throughout its extent a circular V- shaped groove which may be widened in the bottom at pleasure, and on the lower side of the top circle I construct acircular projection throughout its extent in the shape of a U, which is designed to move in the groove as its tongue. These (the tongue and groove) are so constructed that the rest of the surface of the top circle almost meets that of the bottom circle. Now, as the tongue leaves part of the groove untouched, the part untouched serves as a reservoir for the lubricant. The carriageends of which the tongue for a short distance is enlarged and completely fits and fills the grooves. These enlargements of the tongue I call the knobs of the tongue. On the other hand, toward the center of the carriage-circle, the groove takes the shape of a U of a size to fit the main part of the tongue, but too small for the knobs to pass through. The effect is that at a motion of the circle the knobs of the tongue stir up and distribute the lubricant, which would otherwise remain undisturbed in the reservoir. \Vhen the knobs reach the U-shaped part of the groove, their progress is arrested for want of room to pass; hence the wheels of the vehicles can be turned no farther, and if properly adjusted this arrangement will serve as aprotection to the sides of the carriage. On each side of this U-shaped part of the groove are recesses, into which elastic cushions may be fitted to break the violence of jolts. i

The connections of front axle, perch-beam, and headbeam with this carriage-circle are as usual, and need no description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of thelower partof the wheel. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the top part of the wheel. Fig. 3 is a cross'scction on lines 11 r. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on lines 8 t. Fig. 5 is acrosssection on lines 10 m. Fig. 6 is a crosssection on lines y z.

In the drawings, A denotes the top or upper part ofthe wheel, which is provided at each of its ends with the tongue or knob a This tongue or knob is designed to fit snugly into the substantially V- shaped groove 1) of the under or lower part, B, of the wheel, which groove extends from the outer ends nearly to the center. The close fit of the knob'or tongue a as thus described, serves-to prevent waste of the lubricant which is used between the two parts of the wheel. From the tongues or knobs a there extends the entire remainder of the length the rounded rib a. This rib fits snugly upon the rubber or like cushion O, which is fitted in the chambers b if in the other part, B, of the wheel, and serves to prevent injury to the carriage, as well as to the wheel, from any jolting or jarring motion. The groovein the lower member of the wheel is made semicircular in the center at b, and so forms a secure bearing for the rounded part a of the upper member of the wheel. WVhen the two men1- bers of the wheel are placed in position,the one upon the other, the side flanges of each match to form a good finish.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fifth-wheel, the combination of the upper part, A,havi.ng substantially a V-shaped IOC tongue or knob at each end and a rounded rib, 3. The combination of the part B, having 10 a, between the same, with the lower part, B, grooves b and b, with the part A, having having substantially V-shaped grooves united knobs a and rib a, substantially as described. at the center by a rounded groove, substantially as described. I JOHN FINGK, J R.

2. The combination of the part A, having rib a, with the part B, having groove 1), and WVitnesses: recesses b provided with the cushions 0, sub- PAUL LAMBEY, stantially as described. FRED SPIEs. 

